“Your name gets put in when you buy a ticket,” Ryan said, clapping, presumably in congratulations. “Some of the prizes are big-money items. Hope you get a good one!”

“Thanks,” Cooper said, feeling a sliver of excitement despite himself. Who didn’t like winning something? He said goodbye to Ryan and caught Park’s attention, gesturing that he was leaving. Park nodded, leaning down to say something to Cooper’s family and the zookeeper, while gracefully extricating himself from the snake, which had at some point ended up wrapped around his arm.

Cooper walked to the doorway that led back to the rotunda and looked around the room while he waited for Park. The announcements had stopped and the band had picked up the music again. This time a woman was singing along, and a number of people had paired up and started slowly two stepping around the dance floor. He watched them, humming along under his breath.

Would I grant all your wishes, and be proud of the task...

Finally, Park appeared at his elbow. “Making a new friend back there?” Cooper asked, amused, as they walked back into the main room.

“My energy must be very soothing to ill-tempered creatures prone to biting.” Park looked at him slyly out of the corner of his eye. “At least that’s what Dean claimed, and your father said to stop teasing you.”

“Nice,” Cooper said as they tried to pick their way through the dancing couples to the stage. “And you defended my name then and there, or does that part come in a minute?”

Park adopted a scandalized expression. “By admitting you bite me all the time? I didn’t think you’d want them to know. But I suppose I can go back...”

He looked over his shoulder, and Cooper grabbed his arm. “All right, all right.”

His uninjured hand slid down into Park’s and gave it a squeeze, but when he started to pull away, Park held on. He tugged Cooper gently, questioningly toward him, glancing at a dancing couple and then back at Cooper. Quirked an eyebrow. “Yes? No? I saw you tapping your toes.”

Cooper felt a little flushed. He looked around them but stepped hesitantly forward and let Park pull him into a dance position. Cooper felt very stiff in his arms and unsure where to look, but Park seemed perfectly at ease and patiently shuffled them across the floor toward the elephant stage, stepping in time to the music.

...only forever, if someone should ask.

Cooper couldn’t help glancing up and found Park staring down at him with a smile. Cooper cleared his throat. “Anyway, while you were yukking it up with a snake in the hand and two snakes in the grass, some of us were working.” He recapped what Ryan had told him, watching Park’s face turn more and more grim.